Category Archives: Uncategorized

For the second week, we have a “Guest Blogger,” my spouse, Bill Popik. He and Jim Martin–our friend, photography guru and sometime-photo trip guide—embarked on a cross-country trip to photograph parts of the northern United States. This is Bill’s next … Continue reading →

Can a person really “go home again” and what does that mean? Thomas Wolfe’s most famous book title says we can’t. I’m not sure. This week Bill and I went home again to the San Francisco Bay Area where he … Continue reading →

Yesterday Bill and I celebrated the 39th anniversary of our marriage. “Celebrated” may not be the appropriate word because we didn’t do anything special. We have been lucky enough to share so many special trips and meals that it … Continue reading →

Penelope Lively The idea that our entire lives can be shaped by early, small decisions is the lifelong subject of British author Penelope Lively’s novels. When you think of it, it makes sense. If forty years ago a long-lost boyfriend … Continue reading →

It’s nice to be nice–at least that’s what I was raised to believe. I think it’s a good approach to life but sometimes the reflex to be nice is inappropriate. I am in agony every time I return an item … Continue reading →

I’m tired of Trump. Despite the urge to follow the news entirely too closely, I am taking a timeout to focus on what makes me happy. You may find some of it useful, too. Pay Attention This seems obvious … Continue reading →

Last week I heard the President of the United States vow to “get rid of the really bad dudes in this country.” While it’s true that Donald Trump has a small vocabulary weighted towards extreme adjectives (“big league—or bigly,” “disaster,” “dangerous,” … Continue reading →

“Cousins are a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.” —Marion C. Garretty I learned last week that one of my aunts on my father’s side of the family died. The information came from my cousin Jerry, via … Continue reading →

This past Saturday, January 21, more than 1 million people across the United States and the rest of the world marched in protest of policies President Trump is vowing to put in place. It has been 30 years since I’ve … Continue reading →

My mother used strong words. Some of her tendency to overstate was inherited from her mother, my grandma, who used thrilling expressions like “Bloody murder in the third degree!” As she aged, Mom’s ways of expressing exasperation became increasingly dramatic. Among … Continue reading →